Blogs for your consideration...
Over 20 years' worth of observations, recommendations, and considerations on life, family, and the military lie within these narratives. Cheers!
It is both fascinating and disappointing to hear leaders tout the importance of work-life balance and, yet, they call or text you for the most unimportant things during non-business hours. As an active-duty member, where you are literally on call 24/7, it is hard to ask your boss to stop calling dur...
Leaders must know their people. They need to understand what makes them tick and what makes them irritable. Leaders need to understand the normal disposition of those they trust in order to communicate effectively and get results. Additionally, leaders need to listen to their intuition when somethin...
No matter how much training is given or case studies are discussed, military members from all backgrounds frequently forget that they willingly relinquished their freedom of speech and expression when they took their oath to the Constitution. From the youngest private to the most seasoned colonel, p...
If you’re reading this and you’re a non-commissioned officer (NCO), thank you. If you’re reading this and you’re a junior enlisted member or an officer, thank an NCO.
Time and again, I have worked with, learned from, and observed the true magic a good NCO can conjure. The names of generals line the...
Over the years, I’ve been asked a lot of questions pertaining to my military career. From “Have you ever killed anyone?” to “Where have you been stationed?” and everything in between. I even had a friend ask me vehemently why I would join the Army over the Air Force when I graduated high school (it’...
When I was a lieutenant at Ft. Stewart, GA, I was made to read Harvard Business Review’s Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey? I have since maintained a copy of it with me for over 15 years. Through this article, I have been able to see “monkeys” coming at me, and anticipate keeping them off my bac...
A few days after the 4th of July in 2024, one of my commanders was hit and killed in a freak car accident. Brigadier John Pogorek was the commander of the NH Air National Guard and he was a fantastic person to work for. Pogo, as he was often called, was one of the most down to earth, caring, and hum...
I treated Army basic training like a very serious game. There were things you did and did not do. Anyone who has been blessed with this type of experience knows the objective; break you down and then build you back up again. Depending on what phase of initial training you are in will determine the l...
Since returning from Iraq, I had been re-assigned in the unit to serve as the operations planner when LTC Swartz took over. I had only exchanged a handful of words with him when he took command. Even then, I wasn’t a fan of small talk and there were only a few opportunities for professional exchange...
